Sunday, November 14, 2010

IKF Convention to be held in Belgium

Early this December the International Kumquat Federation will hold its hexannual convention in Antwerp, Belgium. Invited are over 1,200 representatives of kumquat companies, government trade officials, IKF agents and Board members, industry analysts, and many others. They will form into committees on many different issues like Trade Regulation and Fair Treatment of Kumquat Plantation Workers. At the end of the conferences they will vote on whether or not to have another convention to make a new set of rules for the IKF. We asked Solomon H. A. Arkanstonias what he thought was a hot issue this year.

"I think there will be a big dispute over what to do about Djiboutian pirates threatening trade routes from kumquat plantations in Africa and the East to Rotterdam, Helsinki and Montreal. Some propositions include using IKF money to build a small escort fleet, lobbying governments to hunt them down, and simply letting the shipping companies deal with it."

At the convention will be Aroldis Reynie Shapiro who we did a bio on in January. Shapiro, a longtime IKF agent, convinced enough IKF board members last March to pursue the investigation of Philipe Swensington. Suspicion arose rather quickly after Swensington abruptly left his position as Chairman of the Board for Surpassa Fika, and Shapiro accuses him of insider trading and false advertising. Swensington who was the Chair of the Board of Surpassa Fika for 6 years was arrested at his home in Tucson, AZ in March. Swensington's trial date has been set for December 19, 2010 and rumor has it that Swensington will not be hiring a lawyer and will be defending himself. However, records show he did attend law school for two years. Both Mr. Swensington and Mr. Shapiro have declined to comment.

Next Post: An interview with Joe Harbrahcka, owner of the last pure bred Gerard Trees

Stephanie,The IKF convention is by invitation only. However, I know the man in charge of the Canadian delegation and he can probably get you a spot on some committee or other next time they hold the convention (we don't know when that will be because the special committee on the subject has not met yet).